1. Field of the Invention
The present application generally relates to a method and system for use with electric motors.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electric motors are power conversion devices. Electric motors typically convert electrical power into some type of mechanical power.
Electric motors typically have two primary parts: a stator and a rotor. The “stator” is a mechanically non-moving or stationary part of the motor. The rotor is a mechanically moving or rotating part. Typically, the rotor is formed in roughly the shape of a cylinder and is surrounded by the stator, which is also typically roughly shaped as a cylinder.
Electric motors are not one hundred percent efficient as they convert electrical power into mechanical power. Specifically, mechanical friction and electrical resistance tend to create losses generating heat.
Generated heat has numerous deleterious effects. For example, generated heat tends to increase both mechanical friction and electrical resistance within the motor, thereby creating a process which tends to feed on itself and create yet more mechanical friction and electrical resistance, thereby engendering yet more losses. Furthermore, modern power system components (e.g., electronic control and measurement components and motor insulation) tend to degrade more rapidly in the presence of high heat. It is therefore generally recognized that every effort should be made to remove generated heat from electric motors.
There are several conventional methods for removing generated heat from electric motors. One example of such conventional methods is air cooling. Air cooling uses either passive or active techniques to cause the flow of heat from warmer surfaces of components of electric motors to cooler air.